Plier construction for cutting electric armored cable



W 9 1951 s. H. UNDERHILL 295519491 PLIER CONSTRUCTION FOR CUTTING ELECTRIC ARMORED CABLE Filed June 26, 1948 INVENTOR.

c SAMUEL HUNDEEH/Z L 4 T TO/Q/VEY Patented May 1, 1951 UNI TED Fl CE P-LIE-R CONSTRUCTION. onoUT-rnmc. ELECTRICARMORED-CABLE- SamueI'HJUn'derhiII, Oyster Bay; N. Y.

Application June '26, 194;8,-:- Serial-No.35;339:

3 Claims. I

This invention relates'to. manually operated cutting or severing devices, and mo're'particularly to an improved plier constructioni'for cutting electric armored cable, such as us'ed'in wiring buildings andthe like.

Among the objects of the invention' is to provide a tool'construction of thecharacter described which shall facilitate the cuttin of armored sheath of electric BX cable such as commonly used in wiring installation of buildings, particularly for use in close and inaccessible quarters, which shall comprise few'a-nd simple parts that are readily assembled, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture yet rugged to withstand rough usage, which shall be easy to manipulate, and which shall be eflicient and practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed-out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter disclosed, the scope of the application of Whichwill'b'e-in'dicated in the'claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which one embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the armored cable cutting plier constructed to embody the invention showing the plier-jaws clamping a BX cable in cutting position.

Fig.2 is a fragmentary top view of the improved cable cutting plier'shown in-Fig. 1.

Figs. 8 and 4 are enlarged cross-sectional views taken on lines 33 inFig. 2 and lines '4-4 in Fig. 3;respective1y, showing details of the cutter blade'mounting, and

Fig. 5 is afragmentary top view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified construction embodying the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I0 denotes cutting or severing plier of thecharacter de.-.

scribed for use on BX'type of an armored cable C constructed to embody the invention. Said plier I0 is seen to comprise a pair of levermemhers I I and I2 secured together for relative move= ment bysuitable means, such as pivot-bolted connection I8 at cross-over or mid-portions II wand I2a, respectively, between hand grip portions IIb and IZb, respectively, and clamping jaws I I0 and I20, respectively.

Lever hand grip portion Ilb. may be substantially straight and"is'formed-with-said mid-portions II a as an intermediate offset across which said mid-portion IZa provides :aicomplementary intermediate offset to bring clamping jaw I20 over jaw IIc when hand grip-portion IIb= is over grip portion I22), as shown in Fig. .1.

Lever mid-portion I'Za "mayhave a greater degree of ofisetthan'said mid-portion Ila, and jaw IIc which-terminates lever'mid-portion Ila may have a flat 'plate 'like shape whichis'concomplementary slots lie provided in opening Ma .siderably wider thanth'e. rest ofsaid lever memher [I ,preferably being greaterin width than the diameter of. the .ar'mO'redVBX cable C to serve as .a-Jsuppoit therefor. fSaid jjaw Ilcmay vbe providedlwith a knurled contactsurface IId'for frictionally-retaining-saidcable C against slipping .when' in. eifeotive clamping position.

rLeverintermediate or mid-portion lZa terminate'sin jaw IZc that may be hook-shaped, said jaw I2b.lying-in angular displacement with respect tolintermediate mid-portion IZa so as to bringin closeaxial alignment lever member I2 with lever member II, as shown in Fig. 2.

Integrally formed to project at an angle and fromjthe,.plane.of aside I2 of said hook-shaped jawj I 20 adjacent the crook thereof to extend over law He, a' boss I3is provided against a flat side I3.a.of which is mounted a circular saw blade M having peripheral teeth I M. Said boss I3 may have athreadedopenin I32) bored into flat side I3a lthereo'fat saidflangle a with respect to the plane of? jaw side l2 to receive threaded end I5a of'ascrew stud' I5. The latter has a slotted head I5b jfor engaging a screwdriver (not shown), and. an intermediate shouldered section I50 of larger diameter than threaded stud end portion I 5a.

Circularsawblade I4 may be provided with an axial opening I 4a fitted to rotate on stud shoulder I5.c.in abutting position with boss fiat side I 3a. In order to manually give said blade I4 rotating oroscillatingmovement for causing the teeth 14172110 cutthe armor of cable C, a finger grip fitting I6 formed with a collar I 6a having integral radially extending handle Nib may also be inounted't'o' rotate on the shoulder I50 between .studhead, I5b with. the'blade I4. The latter is securedfto turn with collar Ilia andhandle ltb .of; fitting I 6' by suitable means, such as integrally formed spaced projecting keys IIic engaging in of blade-'Mfor. rigidly holding the latter to the 'fitting' collar IIi'ain assembly as shown in Fig. 3. Studshoulde'r'w'c'is made to correspond to the combined width of the collar Ida and the blade I 4 and, permits their free pivotal movement thereon when shoulder stud [5a is tightened up against the" boss flat side Isa as shown in Fig. 3.

If 'de'sired'the free end portion of lever hand grip portions IIb and I21) may be provided with suitable clamp retention means, as for example 'h'elicallte'nsion spring I'I formed into a looped st'ructureh'aving one end Ila thereof anchored 'by'loosely passing 'throughopening [29 in said grip portion I2b and having the other or loop end I'I'b engaging in a notch I Ie of said-grip portion I Ib when in effective position to, retainthe pliers 'flrfrom accidentalrelease from the cable C as is clearf1'omFig; 1. In the latter, dotted lines of said-spring l'l-are-shown' in position for releasing the pliers I i! Hom -effectivegripping position.

In-practieingithe'invention; with: pliers I 0 constructed and assembled as described above and shown in the drawing, a BX type armor cable C may first be placed between jaw contact knurled surface Nd and the crook of hooked jaw I20 and then hand pressure applied to grip portions IIb and I2b of levers I I and I2 thereby clampingsaid cable C in proper position for cutting. Axis Y-Y of said cable C will then extend substantially at angle a with respect to the plane XX of path of rotation of blade I4 and will locate the blade teeth I I!) in plane X-X to start the cutting in a direction substantially at right angles to the pitch of the winding strip of the armor sheathing of cable C, that is, substantially transverse the length of the strip forming said cable armor sheathing with the cable C firmly secured in the crook of said hooked-shaped jaw I20 providing a three point clamp with said jaw I I and directing the blade cutting pressure in a direction normal to jaw surface I Id, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Then on stropping, that is, rotating or oscillating finger grip fitting I6 by handle 16b while retaining the hand grip pressure on said lever portions IIb and I21), blade I4 will be caused to cut its way through the thickness of the cable coiled armor strip transversely across the length thereof, after which complete severance of the cable 0 at such out can be had in the well understood manner. The cutting of the cable armor is thus readily accomplished leaving the severed 1' ends in best possible condition for use.

Pliers i is particularly useful in close or restricted space or when such cutting must be performed from uncomfortable working positions. In such circumstances clamp retention means provided in the plier construction will be found desirable, to which end tension spring Il may be moved from the dotted line position shown in Fig. l, stretched to engage the end Iib thereof in said notch IIe thereby preventing the detachment of pliers IIJfrom cable C should the hand grip on portions IIb and I2b be accidentally released.

In Fig. 5 a modified construction of the invention is shown in which clamping jaw I I2c terminating mid-portion II2a of lever member H2 and corresponding to clamping jaw We of pliers I0 described above, is made by offsetting clamping jaw H with relation to said mid-portion H20.

to eliminate the necessity of providing an angular offset boss like that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 for pliers ID. The screw stud II5 may be similar to stud I5 except for an extended threaded portion II5a mounted in a through opening H272 of jaw H20 and secured in position by nut II8. Lever member II2 may thus be simplified and made to operate and serve in the same manner as described above.

It will thus be seen that there is provided plier constructions for cutting armored cable whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A severing plier of the character described for use on armored cable having a wound sheath- --ing strip comprising a pair of aligned lever members pivotally interconnected for relative move ment in crossed relation to provide coacting hand grip portions and clamping jaws, the latter integrally formed with said grip portions to terminate said lever members beyond said pivotal interconnection, one of said jaws having a fiat knurled surface to grippingly support said cable, the other of said jaws being hook-shaped and formed to partially surround said cable and grippingly retain the latter in partially flattened cross sectional shape between said jaws with the axis of the cable extending at substantially right angles to said lever members for severing said cable sheathing strip on said flattened cross setional shape, a cutting blade carried by said hookshaped jaw, means mounting said cutting blade on said hook-shaped jaw, and a stud secured in said hook-shaped jaw for rotatably supporting thereon said cutting blade for pressure on cable between the latter and said fiat knurled surface in an angular relation to said axis of the gripped cable corresponding to the pitch of the wound shealthing strip thereof, and finger manipulating means to oscillate said blade on the stud for severing said sheathing strip transverse the cable axis.

2. A severin plier as defined in claim 1, in which said blade has a cutting edge positioned to move in a path in substantially parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of said hookshaped jaw, the latter being ofiset at an angle to said lever hand grip portions to bring said blade cutting edge in position effective to sever said sheath strip transverse thereof.

3. A severin plier of the character described for use on armored cable having a wound sheathing strip comprising a pair of aligned lever members pivotally interconnected for relative movement in crossed relation to provide coactin hand grip portions and clamping jaws integrally formed with said gripping portion to terminate said levers beyond said pivotal interconnection, one of said jaws having a flat knurled surface to grippingly support said cable, the other of said jaws being hook-shaped and formed to partially surround said cable and grippingly retain the latter in a partially flattened cross sectional shape between said jaws with the axis of the cable extending at substantially right angles to said lever members, a circular shaped cutting blade carried by said hook-shaped jaw, for severing said cable sheathing strip on said flattened cross sectional shape, means for mounting said cutting blade on said hock-shaped jaw including a boss integrally formed on the latter, a stud secured in a relatively fixed position with relation to said boss for rotatably supporting said cutting blade in angular relation to said axis of the gripped cable corresponding to the pitch of the wound sheathing strip thereof for transverse severing of said strip, and finger manipulating means attached to said cutting blade for oscillating same on said stud to sever said sheath.

SAMUEL H. UNDERHILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,471,593 Davis Oct. 23, 1923 1,623,786 Girard Apr. 5, 1927 1,688,467 Matechik Oct. 23, 1928 2,031,470 Eck et a1. Feb. 18, 1936 

